Comparisons
by cowgirl in the sand
Summary: rated for mild language. just a weird piece of nothing-ness.... please read and review.
1. Animalia

The following is the result of complete and utter boredom. Reviews always appreciated, and flames taken with a backbone.  


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They say that people reflect animals in certain ways, manerisms if you will. Shall we take a stroll....?

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Ryan is a lion. The comparison is childish in its rhyme, but it is true to the core. Lions are complex animals in that they have responsibilities. King of the savana, he sits and looks regal all day, eats when and what he wants, fucks who he wants. Pretends to have some kind of power. Unblinking, challenging on the outside, cocking his head, "so what"? Underneath it the lion is completely insecure. He's always fighting to get on the inside, to feel belonging but still stay cool and detached. No one knows what's beneath him, because he's so good at hiding. A brilliant disguise. Fucking brilliant.   
  
Marissa's the dragonfly. Delicate as a piece of finely crafted stained glass. Fluttering around looking bashful and always landing but never staying. So damned innocent that it's hard to tell if a living thing could really posess so much childlike unknowingness, or if maybe it's an act. Maybe it's impossible to be so naive. Maybe she's actually the smartest and knows better than any of them. Maybe she's the least innocent one. The dragonfly is exquisitely crafted and carries itself with an air of mystery. And you sure as hell don't want to be the one to expose this lush creature to the underbelly of the world. She's too good for it.  
  
Summer is the caterpillar. Small but colourful and robust. The most determined creature you'll ever set your eyes on. Emotional as hell. Many people don't understand. They're scared for many reasons. They don't want to get too close because she isn't worth it to them. Too much work and maintenence. Rage blackouts are a threat and she sits, spins her protective cocoon to keep herself in and intruders out. No one can see her like they can watch the dragonfly swoop by. She's more private. But if you have the patience to wait by that cocoon, to carefully sit by it and nurture it and sing to it, maybe, just maybe, you'll be able to witness her reaching out. Reaching out to the people that have proven themselves worthy. And, cautiously, after months, out tiptoes the most spirited, passionate butterfly on the face of the earth.   
  
Seth is a dog. Involved in so much but recognized for so little. A big, panting golden retriever desperate to be a lap dog but never quite fitting. Pushed aside for the more beautiful things to pass. And so easily made happy. Dying for human contact and a simple companion. So joyously unrestrained and yet at the same time fearful. The dog is actually worth way more than we give him credit for. Just take an afternoon when you're feeling down, upset, betrayed, and the dog will be there, tennis ball in mouth and tail wagging. He knows more about us than we know about ourselves. He is our saviour in every way possible in the end. So give him a chance, will ya? 


	2. At the Fairground

Alright, I thought this was going to be a one-shot thing. Apparently not so. This is...odd...stuff. Enjoy! (Or don't - either way, review please).

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_This is...weird. The same four characters are now being analyzed and compared to rides, fair stuff, etc. And, no, you cannot have two of whatever I'm on ;)._

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Ryan is the carnie. He's that scary man that used to stand over you and your parents, and evey time he yelled out across the vast fairground you cringed and gave Dad's hand a squeeze. He's the ultimate scandal. This is a man who's been trained to trick and deceive. And he's gotten so good at it - so eerily good at it - that it seems second nature. He has to lie and cheat to get by, he has to do it. There's no way to tell if you're even seeing him, or some carefully glued together disguise that seems to be him but is actually the result of his trickery. He's so good at reducing or deleting the odds that you'll win - that you'll see him underneath it all, in his barest form - that you're never really seeing him. Because once you've figured him out, he's weak. He can't let you understand him, because then he would have no defence. It'd hurt people to know his hell. So he always has to be one step ahead, already planning out his next escape.  
  
Marissa's the tilt-o-whirl. The scurrying mass of colourful cars flying around at full speed. She's such a jumble that you never really know what to expect - except that you'll come away from her dizzy and confused. She's not strong at the core like the steady ferris wheel. Directions tear her apart and she seems innocent enought at first, but surprises people by her power to confuse. It's difficult to say what powers her because she's always such a mess inside. Tilt left - eat a bottle of painkillers. Tilt right - happy as a clam. A vision softly creeps up to you but then flees before you can see her, really see her.   
  
Summer's not for the faint of heart. She's the rollercoaster. You know which one. The huge one, that as a child, was deadly. That now seems like a challenge. Bright red paint that's starting to peel with all the exposure to sun. Long metal cars that shine brightly but are starting to groan in protest at all the heavy use. You have to have some fucking guts to take her on. Being with her comes with the price of a huge adrenaline rush. A twisting, gut - wrenching swoop around a corner. A slow start uphill, wary and apprehensive, holding your breath - then, a sudden plummet into nowhere. Your feet lift up and you struggle to keep them down, to hold on to a shred of reality. Loud, screaming, rushing...what is it about scaring the hell out of ouselves that we're willing to **pay** for? All day long, she stands there, frightening and rock solid and reaching up to the sky. After everyone goes home, though, after it's all over, a man comes to shut her down. At night she shuts down, she gets cleaned off, the engines turn off and the venom disappears. At night she sighs and no one watches her let her guard down. At night, she's quiet.   
  
Back and forth, back, forth, back, forth...Seth's that pharoh ship that swings back and forth. That you stand watching with anticipation to see it rock the whole way upside down. Of course, it never does. Yet, every time, you stick around, 'cause every time, it looks so much like it will. You're convinced that maybe, just this one time, it'll flip right over. The rhythm is a steady rocking, back and forth, right then left, up then down. It's nice to see something so punctual. He's so reliable that it's comforting to just stand and watch. You can pick what you want from this ride - sit near the middle, and the ride is relaxing and relatively quiet. But pick a seat on one of the ends, and each time , it feels like you're flying. Every time you're swung upwards, your feet lift up a little. The point is that you choose. You can choose an easy way out, so you just pick up the pieces and go home, no dammage done. He doesn't mind. But if you choose to confront him head on, you're left a little shaken. Mind-blown, even.


End file.
